1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-functional device having a receiver for receiving signals via a communication line, a transceiver for transmitting to and receiving data from a data processor, and a storage unit for storing the signals received by the receiver as well as the data received by the transceiver.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, it is becoming a widespread practice to equip a data processor such as a personal computer with a facsimile machine by incorporating a facsimile modem to implement facsimile communications by way of the personal computer. In this arrangement, a printer of the facsimile machine may be utilized to print print data prepared by the personal computer.
Generally, the above type of facsimile machine includes two kinds of memory: a fax data recording memory for storing received fax data to be printed and a print data recording memory for storing the print data. These memories are usually of a volatile type. Where the fax data recording memory and the print data recording memory are separately provided, the volatile memory arrangement tends to be larger in capacity and thus it costs more.
As a solution to a problem of growing memory cost, a memory-sharing type facsimile machine has been proposed. The proposed machine reduces the volatile memory capacity by locating a fax data recording memory area, a print data recording memory area and other recording memory areas in a single volatile memory.
One disadvantage of the proposed setup is that print data, once stored in the allocated recording area, remains intact if a page-feed command, a recording-end command or subsequent page data is not sent or if the user fails to perform a recording-end operation.
In the above memory-sharing type facsimile machine, its memory can soon overflow when fax data is received over the communication line if the memory retains previous print data reducing the capacity of the remaining memory area.
With the memory full of data, the fax data being received or to be subsequently admitted will no longer be accommodated. A reception error is then recognized, terminating the communication function of the facsimile machine partially through the ongoing operation and inconveniencing the user.
A similar deficiency is experienced with facsimile machines having the so-called answering phone function. With this type of facsimile machine, voice signals are received and converted to voice data for storage into the applicable memory area. Also, in this case, any remaining print data in memory diminishes the available memory capacity for accommodating fax data being received. A reception error may then be detected, terminating the communication function of the facsimile machine partially through an ongoing operation.
The memory-sharing type facsimile machine has another disadvantage. With the remaining memory capacity reduced by the presence of residual print data, it may happen that the memory further receives other print data from the personal computer intending to perform another process or image data from a scanner of the facsimile machine executing a facsimile transmission or a document copying operation. In such cases, the memory capacity may not be large enough to accommodate the incoming print data or image data. When the data storing operation is aborted by lack of memory space, the user is again inconvenienced.